Towcester Town CrierTown Crier. 3 A Word from the Town Mayor Welcome to my third editorial as Mayor of Towcester. With the sounds of Christmas now upon us I am pleased to share with

Issue 172 December 2017 Town Hall, Towcester

The Town Mayor, Cllr Sharon McMurray andmembers of the Town Council wish you all…

‘A Very Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year’

Photographs courtesy of Mr Nick Holder

TowcesterTown CrierTowcesterTown Crier

3

A Word from the Town Mayor Welcome to my third editorial as Mayor of Towcester. With the sounds of Christmas now upon us I am pleased to share with you some late summer events and some festive activity at this time of year.

I was pleased to invite my three charities to the September meeting of the Full Council at the Town Hall. I handed over three cheques, each for £1,000 to Pat and Ron (Towcester Gateway Mencap Group), Miriama (The Alzheimer‟s Society) and Nick and John (Towcester Neighbourhood Watch). I am looking forward to May next year when I hand over the balance of the monies raised to my three charities.

The annual golf day in support of the Mayor‟s charities was held on Thursday, September 23rd at Silverstone Golf Club and raised and impressive £568. My thanks go to Charlie Stanger for successfully organising this event once again. Thank you also to the Towcester Waitrose store for including the Mayor‟s charities in its “Community Matters” scheme this year. My three charities will collectively benefit by £205. I was invited to open the Towcester WI „Chocolate Affair‟ in early November and, as the owner of Tea Shop; I was impressed by both the quality of the cakes on show and also the great use of the Sawpits, a wonderful new venue for the people of our town.

I have been made aware more recently of the invaluable work of the Towcester charity TADD (Towcester Area Door to Door) which provides a voluntary car service. This involves transporting residents from Towcester and its surrounding villages to and from their medically-related appointments. The charity is in need of volunteer drivers in order to continue this valuable service. This role is fully flexible and costs are reimbursed. If you are interested in offering your services, please contact Keith Rippon on 01327 810300.

As featured in this edition of the Crier, my end of year charity ball will be held at The Pavilion, Whittlebury Hall on Saturday, 28th April. Ticket sales are going well and I would encourage you to contact me on 07792 189022 or pop into the Towcester Tea Rooms to secure your place if you wish to attend. A welcome drink on arrival will be followed by a 3-course dinner, tea/coffee & mints and entertainment including Alvin the ultimate Elvis Tribute and 2tone, the Soul & Motown Party. With this event I am planning for a grand end of year celebration that will add further funds to our fundraising total.

A final mention goes to a special event being held on Saturday, 9th December in Towcester. The Alzheimer‟s Society holds a „Carols at Christmas‟ event in most counties across the country. This year, in conjunction with my choice of charity, they have moved the Northants venue from All Saints Church in Northampton to St. Lawrence Church in Towcester. There is a full programme of carols, and guest singers include a number from the local area. Adult tickets are £10 and children can attend for £6, these can either be purchased online or on the night.

On behalf of Towcester Town Council, I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.

Cllr Sharon McMurray Town Mayor of Towcester

“I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me.’’

Scrooge from „A Christmas Carol‟ by Charles Dickens

Cllr Sharon McMurray with Ron and Pat Hallfrom the Towcester Gateway Mencap Group

A Word from the Town Mayor

5

TOWCESTER MUSEUM

The volunteers and trustees of Towcester Museum warmly invite you to our magical

Victorian-themed Christmas celebration, which will be held on Saturday, 9th December from 10am - 4pm.

Entry to the Victorian Christmas as well as ‘The Towcester Story’ and the ‘Old Railway Exhibition’ will be FREE all day!

You will be merrily welcomed into the museum by the wonderful Towcester Studio Band who will be playing Christmas carols. The museum will be decorated traditionally and our

volunteers dressed beautifully in period costume, so that you can experience the charm of a Victorian Christmas.

We will be serving mulled wine, wassail punch and our locally brewed heritage ales as well as a selection of festive treats, including mince pies, sugar plums and our Christmas fudge.

Our strict headmistress will be running a craft workshop for children to make Victorian-style Christmas crackers or tree decorations in our Victorian classroom, complete with chalkboards and authentic finger stocks.

Christmas soaps and candles made using Victorian methods as well interesting books, yummy treats and children’s gifts will be available to buy from our shop, so that you can find the perfect Christmas present.

‘Towcester Goes to War’ Temporary Exhibition Opening in 2018 Towcester Museum will be staging an informative and respectful temporary exhibition to

commemorate World War One, the impact it had on Towcester and the town’s inspirational local heroes.

Interested in Volunteering? Towcester Museum is currently welcoming new volunteers to join our friendly and

dedicated team. We tailor each role to the individual and their aspirations. For more information please see towcestermuseum.co.uk, call on 01327 352662 or visit us

at White Horse Yard, 163-165 Watling St, Towcester NN12 6BU.

7

Rotary Young Musician Competition Local Heats 2018 The Rotary Club of Towcester will be running its annual Young Musician competition on Sunday January 21st 2018. Any young person from the area is entitled to join in and entry forms and rules are available by contacting: [email protected] or they can be downloaded from the web site at: http://www.towcester-rotary.org.uk/rotary-young-musician-competition-2018-local-heat/ There are three age groups:

1. Up to 10 years of age - Junior 2. From 11 to 13 years of age – Intermediate 3. From 14 - 17 years of age – Senior

Participants ages are taken from 31st August 2017. Anyone taking part can either play an instrument or use their voice. The categories are:

1. Instruments: a. Solo b. Ensemble (2 to 5 students) c. Group of Musicians (6 students and over)

2. Voice a. Solo b. Ensemble (2 to 5 students) c. Choir (6 students and over)

We are delighted that some of our local schools will be officially entering some of their students for this competition, so parents may want to check with their schools whether they will be partaking – if not and their child/children would like to take part, then you can apply via Andrea Lord as noted above. Alternatively, you can download the Entry Form and Rules from our website: http://www.towcester-rotary.org.uk/the-rotary-club-of-towcester-young-musician-competition-2018/ Please note that the closing date for the local heat is Tuesday, 12th December 2017. The Young Musician competition is just one of the many Youth Competitions that Rotary run. It is a perfect platform for gaining recognition through a well-established local and district competition and also a great opportunity to compete on a national level. Winners of the local heat will be put forward to the 1070 District competition. All fees will be paid by the Rotary Club of Towcester. The District semi- finals will be held the weekend of March 4th 2018 and the District finals will be the weekend of 18th March 2018. The Rotary Club of Towcester meets weekly at the Saracen’s head and is always delighted to welcome new members. Please contact: [email protected] for more information.

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE TOWN – A Date for your Diary

The next Annual Meeting of the Town will take place on Monday, 5th March 2018 in Towcester Town Hall at 7:30pm.

This meeting is an opportunity for residents to address the Town Council with any concerns they may have on matters relating to Towcester.



















8

‘Merry’ Christmas from all at the Brewery! Ho, ho, ho and a very „merry‟ Christmas to all our fantastic friends and customers from the team at Towcester Mill Brewery. “We‟ve had an amazing year here,” said John Evans. “We will have brewed over 240 brews by the time this year is out which is a 20% increase compared to our previous year. With awards, new pub and new shop, new beers such as the popular Saxon Shield and a brand new malt spirit, it‟s certainly been a busy one.” Ray Hunt added, “Our favourite seasonal special, Santa‟s Tipple, is now available on draught in the tap room as well as in bottles in the shop, so make sure you raise a glass of seasonal cheer throughout the month. Here‟s to a great 2018!” And, if you‟re still looking for Christmas gifts, then the shop is the perfect place to buy that special something. David Williams explained, “Bottled beers, gift packs, make your own hampers, speciality gins and spirits, glasses, warm woolly hats and even hoodies – the choice is yours. Or there are brewery tour vouchers, annual memberships and tickets for a night out – the perfect gift experience!” Events not to miss this festive season:- Tuesday, 19th December – Christmas Charity Quiz Join the Mill‟s resident quizmaster Ross in this special edition Christmas quiz, in aid of Prostate Cancer UK. Just £2 a ticket, £1 of which goes to Prostate Cancer and the other £1 to the cash prizes. Reserve your team online at www.towcestermillbrewery.co.uk and pay on the door! Pizza available too from The Little Oven of Joy so no need to cook! Thursday, 21th December – Party Night with Melvis! Party the night away with our fab Elvis impersonator, Melvis, for just £10 a ticket! With songs from the 50s and 60s as well as a whole host of Elvis tunes, it‟ll be a great night out – great value, great fun and great beer! Food available too from The Rub Wood Smoked BBQ. Thursday, 28th December – Live Comedy with Jarred Christmas and Paul Kerensa Why not buy tickets to a live comedy night for that perfect fun-filled Christmas gift? Headlining Jarred Christmas, whose comedy sizzles with originality, and Paul Kerensa who writes and script edits for many comedies for BBC TV and Sky, including Lee Mack‟s sitcom Not Going Out. Food available too from The Rub. A great night out between Christmas and New Year!

Christmas opening hours – tap room Christmas Eve – 12pm-9pm Christmas Day – 12pm-3pm Boxing Day – 12pm-5pm New Year‟s Eve – 12pm-9pm New Year‟s Day – closed

Christmas opening hours – shop Christmas Eve – 10am-4pm Christmas Day – closed Boxing Day – closed 27 Dec-New Year‟s Eve – 10am-4pm New Year‟s Day – closed

Towcester Allotment & Gardener’s Association

The Annual General Meeting of The Towcester Allotment & Gardener’s Associations will be held on:-

Tuesday, 6th March 2018 at 7:30pm in the Towcester Sports and Social Club, Swinneyford Road

All are welcome to attend.

9

Towcester Choral Society presents…

Christmas in Colour Helen Swift – Musical Director

Rowena Gibbons – Accompanist/Repetiteur

Featuring ‘A Little Jazz Mass’ – Bob Chilcott

‘Jazz Carols’ – Will Todd ……and many more popular seasonal songs and carols

There are several colours which are traditional to Christmas, such as Red, Green and Gold, this year our songs represent a lot of these colours and many more, whether this be within the title of the song or an association that you may have with the song. Different colours have different meanings to us especially, at Christmas time. Gold and Red can be associated with the sun, light and warmth. Gold also can be associated with a gift given to Jesus. Green can be associated with plants to decorate our homes such as Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe, as well as the tradition of our Christmas trees. We hope that we can transport you to many different traditions and customs which you may have personally, to bring a smile to your face at this heart-warming time of year. We look forward to seeing you very soon.

Friday, 15th & Saturday, 16th December Towcester Town Hall, 7.30pm

Admission: Adult £12; Under 16s £6 Includes seasonal refreshments

For tickets: Please email [email protected] or telephone 01327 353314

Our local MP, Andrea Leadsom, has reportedly been active together with South Northamptonshire Council (SNC) and Northampton-shire County Council in lobbying government for an earlier than planned completion of the developer funded Towcester Relief Road (TRR). However, the Town Council regrets that, despite its repeated requests, there has been no inclusion of Towcester Town Council in any such discussions.

According to Highways England, the completion of the TRR, even if earlier than planned, will have virtually no effect on diverting polluting HGVs from Towcester. The Town Council therefore will continue to call on our District Council, the County Council and Highways England to request Central Government fund an upgrade of the Relief Road to meet Highways England’s standards, and so enable the A5 through the town centre to be de-trunked.

Your Town Council has for the past 40 years, actively campaigned for an A5 bypass. A bypass would greatly reduce traffic congestion and air pollution in the town centre. The latest air quality report from SNC shows that in the town centre, air pollution in the form of Nitrogen Dioxide, is still exceeding national standards. Other authorities have finally accepted the Town Council’s longstanding view, that the planned Towcester Relief Road will not divert HGVs and other through traffic from the town centre. Highways England has confirmed that it will not de-trunk the A5 through Towcester as the TRR as currently planned (40mph single carriageway road with four roundabouts) will not meet their standard for adoption.

Towcester Relief Road / A5 Bypass

13

The Last Night of the Proms 2018

The Rotary Club of Towcester is delighted to announce that plans are well under way for the 2018 Last Night of the Proms concert, which will take place on Sunday evening at 7.00pm, 4th, February 2018 at Whittlebury Hall – so make a date in your diary! This event has got to be one of the best local concerts during the calendar year and the Towcester Rotary Club is both honoured and pleased that both Sponne School Musicians and Kidlington Concert Brass are both happy to perform once again. The evening will be filled with fabulous music and song of all ages and styles. If you’ve never been to one of the local Last Night at the Proms concerts – then you’ve missed a treat – so book early to avoid disappointment! And if you’re one of our regular attendees – then you know what an amazing evening you will have. The Rotary Club of Towcester is also delighted that once again local Estate Agents, Bartrams, have agreed to sponsor this event – as the aim of the evening, besides listening to some incredible music, is actually to raise funds for the Rotary Club of Towcester’s Charity account and for Sponne School Music Department to support their activities and performances outside of Towcester. Catherine Underwood of Sponne conducts over 100 musicians from both Sponne School and Kidlington Concert Brass with both flair and passion. The representatives from Sponne School will be the current students studying both musical instruments as well as singing. Details of Kidlington Concert Brass can be found on their web site: http://www.kidlingtonconcertbrass.org.uk/ Tickets cost £17.00 each and can be bought from: The Rotary Web site: http://www.towcester-rotary.org.uk/shop/ Colemans, 193 Watling Street, Towcester Box Office: 01327 3532851 or email: [email protected] Towcester Tesco – Customer Services.

The Last Night of the Proms 2018

14

Pilgrimage to The Holy Land 2018 This time next year you could be in Palestine/Israel…to place your feet in the place where Jesus stood and loved. The Holy Land is a wonderful place to visit, to make a pilgrimage, to set aside time deliberately to think of what happened 2000 years ago and sense what it means to you and the world today.

14th - 21st November 2018 leaving and returning from Luton Airport. Cost £1795

We will travel in our own small coach, see the sites and areas around Jerusalem and Galilee and learn of the past and the present. With all its security measures of which you will be mostly unaware, it is one of the safest places to be as a visitor. Israel/Palestine is the place where lives were touched and changed through history. Today still, amidst much richness, dispute and pain, “living stones” of hope are found there. We will hope to encounter some of those through the contacts Lightline has and encourage the beleaguered Christian community.

If you would like to know more please contact Revd Ben Phillips 01327 350459.

Tove Valley Centre project next steps We would like to thank everyone who has supported our fundraising efforts throughout 2017, whether it was one of our regular Quiz Nights or a ‘one off’ event such as our recent Fashion Show with Cheese and Wine Evening. Or maybe you enjoyed a tube of Smarties and then returned the empty tube filled with 20p or £1 coins? We have raised over £1,100 from coin-filled Smartie tubes! If you have visited our stall at one of the Town Hall Table Top sales, you may be pleased to know that we will normally be there on the last Friday of the month. We have raised over £200 from sales and we are very happy to try to answer any questions that you may have about the Centre. Our fundraising events will continue throughout 2018, so keep an eye on local press or check out our website www.tovevalleycentre.co.uk for details. We also expect to engage the services of a Funding Administrator from January 2018 who will approach Trusts to apply for grants, a substantial element of our fundraising strategy. The Tove Valley Centre will be a place of worship for the Tove Valley Baptist Fellowship as well as a modern community facility available for use by local groups in Towcester and the wider district. It will be located on the Northampton Road in Towcester adjacent to the Shires housing estate and SNC car park. The fully completed Centre will house a large auditorium including a platform and modern audio-visual facilities, an entrance foyer and display area, fully equipped commercial kitchen, additional rooms, hall (phase 2), and crèche area (phase 2). We are keen to learn how the building might be used by the community and are contacting local organisations, groups and families to that end. Please email us on [email protected] if would like to have your say.

A welcoming home serving the community, expressing God’s love for everyone

15

St. Mary’s, Easton Neston, NN12 7HS

Children’s Christmas Vigil Mass

Caught by the Joy…

Captivated by the Joy …

17

TOWCESTER EVENING WI GARDEN CLUB

We have had another successful planting year with each of our six containers plus Richmond Road corner giving Towcester lots of colourful displays.

We are very grateful for the help we receive from our generous sponsors, from SNC and the Town Council, from the school children of Towcester who help us with the planting and from those people in the community who have done the odd bit of weeding and watering for us.

Next year it will be 100 years since the women of this country were first able to vote; so, in order to celebrate this date, we plan to use the Suffragette colours of mauve, white and green in our planting schemes.

2018 is also the centenary of the ending of the First World War. We would like to commemorate this event by displays of poppies in the Remembrance Garden in St. Lawrence Churchyard. This is where, on Remembrance Sunday we place our crosses and poppies to remember all those who took part in this and other wars. We plan to use poppies in any medium, wool, paper or ceramic etc. so if we could get all the schools and any craft groups in the town to offer to help in this project it would be tremendous.

You can find us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/TowcesterEveningWI1971/ Since 2012, Towcester Evening W.I. has been campaigning for public toilets in the town without success. This year, we asked South Northamptonshire Council if it would consider installing signage to direct the public to the conveniences in The Forum. This is the latest reply to us:-

“Since The Forum opened in Towcester Town Centre the toilets have been available for the public to use, which presents an increase in the provision over that which existed prior to the building opening. However, although these toilets are open to the public, they are not public toilet facilities, and it would be misleading to provide signage to that effect.

The Forum is signposted throughout the town and, as it is a community building with many public services contained within it, we do not feel the need to single out individual services such as the library, registration services, toilets or the council offices.”

18

TRACEYS DANCEZONE AT TOWCESTER TOWN HALL

The Classes at Towcester Town Hall have been running on Tuesday evenings now for more than 10 years with great success. Tracey Aspin, Principal of the school, is a Fellow and Examiner of the International Dance Teachers Association and Sharon McMurray is also a highly qualified member of the IDTA and the current Mayor of Towcester. We love running these classes and look forward to seeing the students’ progress each week into confident dancers. We cover the Ballroom and Latin styles of dance including the Waltz, Quickstep, Foxtrot, Tango, Rumba, Cha Cha, Samba, Jive, Mambo, Rock ‘n’ Roll, and have also taught the Argentine Tango. We regularly start new Beginner Classes and will be starting another class for January 2018. Look out for the start of this class at www.traceysdancezone.co.uk. Here are a few comments from our students..... Marion – I always look forward to Tracey’s dance class each week which is why I am in my second year of attending and I thoroughly enjoy it. Tracey and Sharon are so welcoming, have a lot of patience (which is needed with those of us who have two left feet!) and are encouraging to everyone. They both make it very enjoyable and the group always have a few laughs during the class, so it’s not overly serious but at the same time I do learn a lot and never get bored. Stephen – Enjoyable relaxed and easy going classes. Look forward to every lesson. Never too old to learn! At 68 years old and never danced, I find these classes are both challenging and fun. Chris & Mel – A really fun friendly way to learn to dance. Tracey has a great style of teaching and it doesn’t matter how many mistakes you make, she always puts a smile on your face and gets you going in the right direction! Tracey also organises practice evenings on a monthly basis available to everybody, which gives you the opportunity to try all your moves out, learn more and socialise. Laura – Tuesday evenings at Tracey’s Dancezone are the highlight of my week. Even after just 3 lessons, I feel like I can already dance. There are no wrong steps, just loads of encouragement and plenty of laughs. Jim – The best £7.50 spent ever! As complete beginners it’s taken years to take the plunge, but my wife and I feel completely at ease amongst welcoming, like-minded people. With personal and group instruction even with two left feet we feel happy, have fun and getting addicted after just 3 weeks!!

We love teaching these students and hope they enjoy them as much as us. Our website is being updated as this time but should up and running shortly. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter.

19

Our ‘ ’

Towcester Town Football Club

Do you want to play football? Come and give MiniKickers a try!

Towcester Town Football Club’s MiniKickers is open to all children aged between 4 and 6 years old. Sessions take place on the all-weather pitch at Towcester Centre for Leisure on Saturday mornings from 9am-10am. A contribution of just £1 is requested per session to help cover costs. MiniKickers is taught by qualified coaches and is an excellent way to introduce children to football whilst having fun. Children who are interested will have the opportunity to progress into TTFC’s Under 7s teams.

For more information contact Samantha Hurrell at: [email protected] or call 01327 353284

20

With the benefit of a grant from Historic England, a new group called the ‘Historic Towcester Survey’ will be recording and researching the pre-1750 buildings of the town over the next

three years. A few buildings like the Chantry House, Hartwell’s butchers and Carrington’s the opticians are obviously early buildings but what about 185 Watling Street? The fact

that this popular restaurant has a medieval roof and is one of the earliest buildings in the town is not obvious at all. The same is true of many Towcester buildings whose

early features are hidden behind a much later shopfront and façade.

Apart from the parish church the earliest buildings in the town appear to be timber-framed with some buildings such as the Chantry House

having stone gables. In the seventeenth century there was the change to buildings being constructed of stone e.g. The Pig & Whistle and in the

following century brick became the common material for wall construction. Although the amount of timber used in building

construction declined from the 17th century onwards it was still necessary for roof, floor and internal partition construction.

This would have come from local woods that formed part of Whittlebury Forest.

What makes Towcester very unusual is that it had common sawpits (Sawpit Green) which could be used by local carpenters and sawyers for turning tree trunks and boughs into useable timbers. Through the survey the group hopes to discover more about the local building traditions.

185 Watling Street – Is this the oldest building in Towcester?

Carrington’s opticians – Part of a Tudor timber-framed jettied building with a tiled canopy that was only added 100 years ago. How much of the building survives in Milano Pizzas?

The Monk & Tipster – Does the 1650 datestone date the building or an attic addition?

OLD TOWCESTER 22 - HISTORIC TOWCESTER SURVEY

21

Although recording and dating buildings is one of the main objectives of the group it is equally important to discover what buildings were used for. From the beginning of the modern town in 917 AD the town has been a stopping off place for those people travelling along Watling Street on foot, in carts or on coaches. Unsurprisingly many of the old buildings in the town were formerly inns and alehouses but there were also shops, workshops and housing for the gentry, professional class, artisans and clergy. We will be using maps, old deeds, rentals, historic newspapers and other documents to discover how the use of buildings changed and what evidence for this might be preserved in the fabric of the buildings.

Throughout the three years that this project will be ongoing we will aim to keep you abreast of what we find out but we would also like your help. If you occupy an old building in the town and would like to know more about it then please get in touch with us. If you have old deeds, photographs, plans or documents relating to the town we would welcome the opportunity to copy them as they may contain new information that will help understand the development of the town.

I can be contacted at [email protected].

Hartwell’s Butchers – The timbers used for constructing this building were cut down in 1602 & 1603. Was it originally built as a butcher’s shop?

Carrington’s opticians – Part of a Tudor timber-framed jettied building with a tiled canopy that was only added 100 years ago. How much of the building survives in Milano Pizzas?

The Chantry House – Have you seen the clues to show that this 15th century building was formerly timber-framed and had a projecting jetty to the front? Who originally lived here?

[Chantry House clues – remains of the timber framing can be seen in the rear wall of the main ground floor room and two beams of the original jetty are visible above the entrance door of the house. It was built for the two priests working for Sponne’s Charity one of whom ran a school. Answers to the other questions are still unknown]

23

Every year brings something special into the community life of Towcester, and 2017 has been extra-special with the exciting programme of events included with the 917 project, marking the events 1100 years ago that led to the creation of the town as we know it today.

The parade that involved so many organisations and brought hundreds onto the streets was a great event and then the Saxon Fair on the Water Meadows was a triumph of imagination and organisation that attracted more than 3,000.

In all of this the Society has been closely involved, particularly as it all sprang from an idea put forward by our own Brian Giggins who then went on to work closely with the Town Council and Cllr Martin Johns, who Chaired the organising committee. Huge praise and thanks to them all.

Now forward into 2018, and much more to come. Below are some of the speakers who will open our programme and still to come will be a talk by the first women officer to serve with a crack infantry regiment, a look at the 1460 Battle of Northampton and much more.

TALKS PROGRAMME HEADING TOWARDS SPRING Wednesday 14th February Royal Mistresses Roger Powell Roger is an author and historian who has held various posts throughout a long and distinguished career including working at Debretts and Burkes Peerage. This talk will expose the story of how key English aristocratic families provided the British Royal Family with mistresses over several generations to gain influence at court.

Wednesday 14th March Annual General Meeting The Society‟s time to review the past year and to look ahead to the 2018 programme. In addition there will be the added attractions of a short talk, a buffet and drinks.

Wednesday 11th April Shakespeare’s Houses Paul Hatfield Paul is the manager of Anne Hathaway‟s Cottage and Garden in Stratford-upon-Avon. His talk will cover all of Shakespeare‟s family homes as well as the 1964 Shakespeare Centre. There will be particular focus on Hathaway‟s with a photographic and historical tour.

Wednesday 9th May Factory Life in the Boot and Shoe Industry Ruth Thomas Ruth returns to give us another talk, this time looking at the development of shoe manufacturing in Northampton from the medieval period as a small cottage industry of hand sewing men, through to a factory industry, employing thousands of workers that dominated every aspect of the town.

Meetings are held at the Riverside Resource Centre in Islington Road, Towcester, at 7.30pm. There is a fee of £2 for non-members. For enquiries, please telephone David Wilcock on 01327 351782 or John Morris on 07725 839795.

TOWCESTER & DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY

25

A New Year at Towcester C of E Primary Towcester C of E Primary School is a big part of the Towcester community and prides itself on being so. In September 2011, Richard Camp joined the school and brought a strong ethos of providing a wealth of extra opportunities for the children in addition to maximising their academic achievement. Six years on and Mr Camp took retirement in July to increase his experience of travelling the world starting with a trip to Montana. Some school communities worry when there is a change in leadership, but not at Towcester C of E Primary School. Mrs Griffin has been appointed as the new Head Teacher and, as Deputy Head for 9 years at the school, has been able to take up the reigns quickly and smoothly. She fully understands the school and its community; seeing first hand and working closely with Mr Camp to know what has worked best for the children and staff. With a strong leadership and staff team working with her – many of whom are established employees of the school - the school is in safe hands. The Governing Body, staff team and Church are all key stakeholders in ensuring continuity. And, most importantly, with the support of the school and local community. So what has the school been doing so far this term? As always, the year started with a New Year Church service at St. Lawrence.

The new Foundation Stage pupils are in full-time and fully engaged in their learning activities both inside and outside their classroom. Parents joined them for a Teddy Bear’s Picnic at the end of their part-time weeks to celebrate the start of their full-time education. All of pupils in Years 1 to 6 took part in a sponsored walk to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society. Grandparents joined the children to share their memories of their school life. The school had its first curriculum week – ‘On-line safety’. Parents joined the celebration assembly at the end of the week to find out what the children had learnt from keeping themselves safe to understanding how the internet is used to give a different perception.

Demonstrating democracy, all children had the opportunity to take part in an election for their new School Council. Candidates went through the process of writing and presenting their manifestos to win their votes and become representatives for the pupil voice. The annual Harvest Festival at Church explored harvest in different aspects of its forms. The German pupils from Hannover came to visit as part of the exchange programme. Taking part in a joint project on ‘Forests’ they took a trip to Salcey Forest and worked together to identify trees and build dens collaboratively. So, as you can see, in just half a term, the children have many learning opportunities and experiences and Towcester C of E Primary School continues its hard work and provision for all pupils and school community.

27

Editor’s Note: Please see Page 9 for the Town Council’s statement regarding the Towcester Relief Road.

It’s been a busy twelve months or so, and I am sure that, like me, everyone is looking forward to Christmas in just a few short weeks! I wanted to take the opportunity to update all residents of Towcester on a few local matters before the end of the year.

The main issue for Towcester is, of course, the urgent need for the relief road to be built as soon as possible. Construction has already started on the Towcester Southern Expansion, and the A5 down Watling Street continues to clog up with HGVs and other through-traffic; made worse with the recent incidents that have led to the closure of the M1. The Towcester Bypass Action Group has been working hard to coordinate local views and to disseminate information, and I am very grateful to them for this. Through the working group I have convened – comprised of myself, County and District councillors, Highways England, Northants Highways and the developers – we have set our sights on the relief road opening by the end of 2020. This has always been my ambition, and I am determined that we achieve it.

The developer has an obligation to build the road by the occupation of the 1016th house in the Towcester Vale site, which their current estimates suggest will happen by around 2025 although could be any number of years after this. Clearly unacceptable for local residents, so the working group is looking at alternative options that would allow the developer to meet our shared aim of 2020. There is a cost to the developer of bringing the delivery forward; Highways England have pledged to contribute just under half of this through their contribution to the Towcester Relief Road in their current Road Investment Strategy. The District Council, supported by the County and myself, is submitting a bid to central Government for a grant through the Housing Infrastructure Fund, and we are also looking at other methods of closing the funding gap. However, I have always been clear that the developers will not be let off their responsibility to pay for and build the road, and this remains my intention. We all benefit locally from the excellent primary healthcare provided by our GP practices; rarely does anyone wait long to get an appointment to see their doctor. Working closely with our doctors, I am exploring what we can do to make our local healthcare even better, and what services we can bring back into the community. Following the fantastic news recently that the new Brackley Medical Centre has been given the go-ahead – with a range of outpatient services including x-ray facilities, a minor injuries unit and intermediate care beds – there is an opportunity for Towcester to expand services too.

The Government has been quite clear that, where possible, more healthcare services should be delivered closer to home, and a broader medical services hub for Towcester and the surrounding area would do just that. On broadband, I know that there are still a few areas of Towcester which are unable to access superfast broadband despite the great many premises being able to do so. With the help of local residents, we brought BT’s Regional Partnership Director to the town to discuss what can be done to close this gap. Superfast Northamptonshire is launching a new State Aid Public Consultation which will allow commercial providers to set out their plans to expand coverage; once this is complete, Northants County Council will be able to commission BT and Gigaclear, through their existing contracts, to put together proposals to reach those areas the commercial ventures aren’t targeting. I completely appreciate how frustrating poor internet speeds can be, and I am absolutely committed to do all that I can to accelerate the roll-out for our communities. You may be aware that, each year since becoming your MP, I have employed a local school-leaver to join my team as an Apprentice Caseworker. This is a terrific opportunity for paid work whilst also gaining an NVQ in Business Administration, and I was delighted to welcome Emily from Sponne School in September. I will be beginning to look for my 2018/19 Apprentice, to start next September, early in the New Year. If you, or someone you know, might be interested, please do get in touch with me! Our fantastic local businesses are a vital asset to our town, and I have been pleased to see several new ventures opening in the High Street and further afield. I am always keen to stop by and say hello, so let me know if you’d like me to visit. As ever, I can always be reached via my constituency office in Towcester (01327 353 124) or via email at [email protected], if anyone has any issues they would like to raise with me. You can book yourself in to see me at one of my regular advice surgeries in The Forum, and also keep up-to-date on local news via my website at www.andrealeadsom.com.

Editor’s Note; please see

29

Exciting Times for Towcester Studio Band! 2017 has certainly been a very busy and enjoyable year for both players and supporters of Towcester Studio Band! The Band’s contribution to the Towcester 917 Walking Carnival and Saxon Fair was reported in an earlier edition of the Town Crier but I am delighted to seize this opportunity to report that our special Autumn concert held on Saturday October 7th saw the Band premiere a piece of music written especially for the Towcester 917 celebrations.

St Lawrence Church, which is TSB’s spiritual home, was the concert location and representatives from the Towcester 917 committee, SNC, Town Council, Towcester History Society and programme sponsors, joined a most appreciative audience to hear the premiere of ‘Towcester 917’ which was the feature item on a programme selected to embrace music through the Ages.

Martin Johns, Reverend Paula Challen, Neil Brownless – Musical Director of TSB and Jacob Holm – Press Attaché to the Danish Embassy

Jonny Bates is a young up and coming composer, who also plays solo tenor horn with the famous Foden’s Band, was commissioned to compose the piece and all at TSB were delighted that he was able to shuffle his playing commitments to allow him to be with us for the concert. Prior to the event the Band received a visit from Radio Northampton presenter Martin Heath. The interview and snippets of the Band practicing Towcester917 were presented on the breakfast show on Friday and again on Sunday. Our thanks go to the team at Radio Northampton for helping us promote this special event.

On Sunday, 1st October the Band travelled north to Bolsover, Derbyshire for the annual Bolsover Entertainment Contest. This event signals the start of the winter contesting season and another solid performance from the Band resulted in 4th place in Section3. This contest was sadly the last for a while for our resident Musical Director, Neil Brownless. Neil is pursuing a career in music and has elected to join the Army! He embarked on his initial training early in November and is hoping to return to the band room in time to take the Band to the national qualifying contest in March 2018. During his absence TSB was delighted to enlist the help of Paul Fensom. Paul is a very experienced Band Trainer who is based in Milton Keynes. Paul has conducted several local Bands during his career in music as well as taking the baton for a Brass Band in Norway.

As Christmas is fast approaching we need to share some important dates for your diaries!

This year our Xmas Concert will be held in St. Lawrence Church on Wednesday, 20th December commencing 7:30pm. Tickets will be available on the door and will include some light festive refreshments!

On Thursday, 21st December the Band will be playing at the Open Air Carol concert on the Market Square.

There will be several other opportunities to listen to TSB in and around the town during the festive period. Small groups will be Carolling throughout the period including two visits to Towcester Racecourse! The Band is entertaining the crowd at the last horse racing event of 2017 and also during the Greyhound meeting on Boxing Day.

The committee and members are forever grateful for the help and support that we receive from our faithful supporters. They include our Patrons, ‘Friends of Towcester Studio Band’, SNC, Town Council, SN Homes, our many sponsors and of course everyone who comes to our concerts! Merry Xmas and Happy New Year to you all from Towcester Studio Band.

31

News from the Town Council…

Play Equipment

As this issue of the Town Crier goes to press, the Council is awaiting proposals from play equipment providers for a scheme to replace the

Belle Baulk Adventure Playground, which is past its best, with a trim trail and small cluster of outdoor fitness equipment. The new

equipment will be for use by those aged from 13 years right through to senior citizens. In addition to this, the annual ROSPA report,

carried out earlier this year, identified items of equipment in need of replacement, which include the large climbing unit in the Recreation

Ground play area. The Council intends to take this opportunity to gradually introduce some items of inclusive equipment which can be

used by both able-bodied children and those with disabilities, and will continue to consider how best to deliver opportunities for inclusive

play as it goes forward.

Details of the proposed scheme are anticipated in the first week of December, at which time further information will be posted on the

Town Council’s website. Your views on the proposals are most welcome; please forward these via email to towncouncil@towcester-

tc.gov.uk or telephone the Town Council Office on 01327 350995.

Recreation Ground Footbridge

The Town Council recently replaced the temporary wooden barriers, which had been erected at both ends of the Recreation Ground

footbridge to prevent access, with fabricated steel construction hoarding. The Council had been instructed by its insurer that it must take

all possible measures to prevent access across the bridge, until its replacement has been manufactured and installed. Unfortunately,

pedestrians had continued to cross the bridge and it was therefore necessary to undertake these expensive works.

The successful tender for replacement of the bridge was approved by the Council several weeks ago but, as the company's design will

need formal planning consent from South Northamptonshire Council before installation, the bridge will continue to be closed for some

further weeks.

Rumours which have been circulated, that the Town Council intend to leave the bridge closed, are false. The bridge will be replaced as

very soon as possible but there is a process which must be followed, and this is taking some time. On behalf of the Town Council, I would

like to apologise to everyone who is currently being inconvenienced by the closure of the bridge.

Staff Vacancies

The Council recently advertised its vacant post for a part-time Administrative Assistant and the recruitment process is now well underway.

A second post for an Assistant to the Town Clerk will be advertised early in 2018 so, if you are looking for a new challenge, please keep a

look out for further information. Details will be advertised on the Council’s website, through South Northamptonshire Council’s Job Club

and via social media.

Councillor Vacancies

The Town Council currently has two Councillor vacancies, both on Brook Ward, Towcester. If you think you may be interested, and would

like further information on the role of a Town Councillor, please email the Town Clerk, Elizabeth.

Town Hall Offices

The New Year will see Town Hall-based Estate Agents, Bartram & Co. take over the lease of the small committee room at the front of the

Town Hall to enable the expansion of the business. Full Council meetings will continue to be held in the main hall with future meetings of

the Council’s committees relocating to the Meeting Room in the Sawpits Centre.

A small office on the 2nd Floor of the Town Hall, suitable for 1 – 2 persons, is still available for lease. If you are interested in viewing this

office, please contact the Clerk.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.

Elizabeth

Play Equipment As this issue of the Town Crier goes to press, the Council is awaiting proposals from play equipment providers for a scheme to replace the Belle Baulk Adventure Playground, which is past its best, with a trim trail and small cluster of outdoor fitness equipment. The new equipment will be for use by those aged from 13 years right through to senior citizens. In addition to this, the annual ROSPA report, carried out earlier this year, identified items of equipment in need of replacement, which include the large climbing unit in the Recreation Ground play area. The Council intends to take this opportunity to gradually introduce some items of inclusive equipment which can be used by both able-bodied children and those with disabilities, and will continue to consider how best to deliver opportunities for inclusive play as it goes forward. Details of the proposed scheme are anticipated in the first week of December, at which time further information will be posted on the Town Council’s website. Your views on the proposals are most welcome; please forward these via email to [email protected] or telephone the Town Council Office on 01327 350995.

Recreation Ground Footbridge The Town Council recently replaced the temporary wooden barriers, which had been erected at both ends of the Recreation Ground footbridge to prevent access, with fabricated steel construction hoarding. The Council had been instructed by its insurer that it must take all possible measures to prevent access across the bridge, until its replacement has been manufactured and installed. Unfortunately, pedestrians had continued to cross the bridge and it was therefore necessary to undertake these expensive works. The successful tender for replacement of the bridge was approved by the Council several weeks ago but, as the company’s design will need formal planning consent from South Northamptonshire Council before installation, the bridge will continue to be closed for some further weeks. Rumours which have been circulated, that the Town Council intend to leave the bridge closed, are false. The bridge will be replaced as very soon as possible but there is a process which must be followed, and this is taking some time. On behalf of the Town Council, I would like to apologise to everyone who is currently being inconvenienced by the closure of the bridge.

Staff Vacancies The Council recently advertised its vacant post for a part-time Administrative Assistant and the recruitment process is now well underway. A second post for an Assistant to the Town Clerk will be advertised early in 2018 so, if you are looking for a new challenge, please keep a look out for further information. Details will be advertised on the Council’s website, through South Northamptonshire Council’s Job Club and via social media.

Councillor Vacancies The Town Council currently has two Councillor vacancies, both on Brook Ward, Towcester. If you think you may be interested, and would like further information on the role of a Town Councillor, please email the Town Clerk, Elizabeth.

Town Hall Offices The New Year will see Town Hall-based Estate Agents, Bartram & Co. take over the lease of the small committee room at the front of the Town Hall to enable the expansion of the business. Full Council meetings will continue to be held in the main hall with future meetings of the Council’s committees relocating to the Meeting Room in the Sawpits Centre. A small office on the 2nd Floor of the Town Hall, suitable for 1 – 2 persons, is still available for lease. If you are interested in viewing this office, please contact the Clerk.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.

Elizabeth

News from the Town Council…

33

which is YOGA. We’ve

’

that I’

Don’t it’s no problem if you don’t have a yoga

’d like to

35

Christmas Day Lunch in the Chantry House Once again in this season of Good-will, the churches’ team have organised a delicious free roast lunch for those who would otherwise be on their own or not able to celebrate the feast. Please book places in advance at the Church Office Chantry House, Market Square, Towcester – Tel: 01327 350459 I've done it three times and avoided offending anyone in the process. I'm talking about naming your child. Fortunately my three children tell me they are happy with their names. So I was amazed by the article in the newspaper which carried the title 'Names trigger wrath of Gran'. The survey was conducted by Mumsnet and Gransnet. Mumsnet founder Justine Roberts added, "Choosing a baby name is fraught enough for parents if you're only taking into account your own views; if you add grandparents' biases to the mix it can become impossible." When it came to Mary and Joseph, and the unexpected pregnancy, some practical details were taken out of their hands, including the name of the baby. According to Luke's account, the angel who announced that Mary was carrying God's Son in her womb also told the astonished teenager, 'You are to give him the name Jesus' [Luke 1:31] Jesus was a common name at the time. It means simply ' the Lord saves'. Matthew, who adds to the report of the birth, gives the reason, ' You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins' Matthew 1:21]. So the name of the baby, whose birth we celebrate across the globe at this time of the year, sets out his credentials, his mission and the relevance to every generation since. By his birth, life, death, resurrection, God can be known. So what's in a name? Everything when it comes to Jesus. PS. My wife and I are happy with the names of our 6 grandchildren. Rev. Paul Knight Tove Valley Baptist Fellowship for Churches Together in Towcester

which is YOGA. We’ve

’

that I’

Don’t it’s no problem if you don’t have a yoga

’d like to

36

FORTHCOMING EVENTS IN THE TOWN HALL

Every Friday Antiques 2 Go. Indoor Market DECEMBER Saturday 9th Lead Events Christmas Fayre Friday 15th, 7:30pm Towcester Choral Society Christmas Concert Saturday 16th, 10am – 3pm Towcester Neighbourhood Watch – Safer Christmas Event Saturday 16th, 7:30pm Towcester Choral Society Christmas Concert Thursday 21st The Annual Open Air Carol Concert, Towcester Market Square

2018 FEBRUARY Saturday 3rd A Slice of Craft- Sale of Handmade Crafts & Gifts Saturday 24th The Gift Bazaar MARCH Saturday 3rd A Slice of Craft – Sale of Handmade Crafts & Gifts Saturday 10th Towcester Town Football Club Charity Quiz Night Saturday 24th The Gift Bazaar

FORTHCOMING EVENTS IN THE SAWPITS CENTRE Every Thursday, 8:30am – 12noon Towcester Country Market Please note; there are many weekly and monthly classes being held in the Town Hall, Towcester Youth & Community Centre and The Sawpits Centre. For further information, please see the calendar of events on the Town Council website or telephone the office. Towcester Town Crier is published by Towcester Town Council and is open to contributions from all organisations and individuals in the town. The last date for advertising is 24th January and for copy 31st January 2018. We are now operating a strict deadline for advertising / copy and materials will not be accepted after these dates. Copy should be sent to Elizabeth Cox at the Town Council Office (tel: 01327 350995; email: [email protected]). For advertising, please contact Jim Lynch (tel: 01327 350899). Articles appearing contain the views of the person submitting the item and are not necessarily the views of the Town Council. The Town Council’s website address is www.towcester-tc.gov.uk. Printed by R1 Print & Design, Silverstone.

Documents

Towcester Town CrierTown Crier. 3 A Word from the Town Mayor Welcome to my third editorial as Mayor of Towcester. With the sounds of Christmas now upon us I am pleased to share with